Armrest construction and method

Abstract

A chair 10 for seating in rows is disclosed. In particular, an armrest arrangement 21 for such chairs is disclosed. The arrangement has an arm support 22 which is pivoted to a support brace 23 . When the seat 15 is pivoted into its standby position the arm support 22 and support brace 23 lie alongside each other and have a transverse width D 6 which is less than the front to rear dimension D 5 of the adjacent seat 15 and backrest 14 . In particular, the armrest arrangement can be provided with a cup holder 145 which remains horizontal, notwithstanding the pivoting action of the chair armrest arrangement. This reduces the incidence of beverage and food spillage.

The invention claimed is: 
     
       1. A pivotal armrest for seating arranged in rows and having a stationary backrest and a seat pivotable between a generally horizontal use position and a generally vertical standby position, said armrest comprising an arm support and a supporting brace each of which has two ends, a first one of said arm support ends being pivotally connectable to one side of said backrest at a location above the axis of pivot of said seat, a first one of said supporting brace ends being pivotally connectable to the same side of said seat at a location thereon spaced from said seat pivot axis, and the second ends of said arm support and said supporting brace being pivotally connected together, the lengths of said arm support and said supporting brace and the distance between said seat pivot axis and said locations being selected such that with said seat pivoted into said use position said armrest support is substantially horizontal and said supporting brace is inclined forwardly, and with said seat pivoted into said standby position said arm support and said supporting brace lie alongside each other and are generally vertical and said arm rest having a cup holder pivotally connected to the pivotal interconnection of said second ends; and
 said cup holder being substantially horizontal and remaining substantially horizontal irrespective of the motion of said seat between said use and standby positions. 
 
     
     
       2. The armrest as claimed in  claim 1  wherein said backrest is slightly rearwardly inclined and said arm support and supporting brace when lying alongside each other are inclined slightly rearwardly to the same extent as said backrest. 
     
     
       3. The armrest as claimed in  claim 2  wherein with said seat in said standby position the distance from the rear surface of said backrest to the underside of said seat exceeds the transverse extent of said arm support and said supporting brace lying alongside each other. 
     
     
       4. The arm rest as claimed in  claim 1  wherein said cup holder includes a cam mechanism which drives the cup holder in a direction opposite to the motion of said arm support. 
     
     
       5. A method of moving an armrest between stowed and deployed positions, said method comprising the steps of:
 (i) providing an arm support and a supporting brace each having two ends, 
 (ii) pivoting one end of said arm support to one side of a backrest, 
 (iii) pivoting one end of said supporting brace to the same side of a seat pivoted to said backrest and movable between a generally horizontal use position and a generally vertical standby position, 
 (iv) pivotally interconnecting the second ends of said arm support and said supporting brace, 
 (v) pivotally connecting a cup holder to the interconnection of said second ends, and 
 (vi) maintaining the orientation of said cup holder generally horizontal irrespective of the motion of said seat between said use and said standby positions.